it's God's job (repost from myspace)

Ok, so not everyone will know why I'm posting this, but a select few will. The message is true for all, but in my personal life, I'm seeing this type of thing happen between 2 people and it breaks my heart for the one who is on the recieving end. So, from the wisdom and insight of Max Lucado, here ya' go.

"Wait for the Lord, and He will make things right." Proverbs 20:22
Some of you are in the courtroom. The courtroom of complaint. Some of you are rehashing the same hurt every chance you get with anyone who will listen.
For you, I have this question. Who made you God? I don't mean to be cocky, but why are you doing His work for Him?
"Vengeance is Mine" God declared. "I will repay" (Hebrews 10:30 NKJV).
Judgement is God's job. To assume otherwise is to assume that God can't do it.
Revenge is irreverent...To forvice someone is to desplay reverence. Forgiveness is not saying that the one who hurt you was right. Forgiveness is stating that God is faithful and He will do what is right.
~When God Whispers Your Name~

It's bad enough to hold a grudge and keep replaying it in your own mind, but when you tell others, it makes them think of the other person in a bad way as well. As a new resident of my little town, I want to get to know people for who they are, not what someone else thinks of them. If you're gonna tell me something, I'd prefer to hear it based on this old addage from my mom...
"Is it true, is it needful, is it kind?"
If it doesn't go along with this, I rather someone not even waste their breath to tell me. Having grown up in a small Southern town, I know how tempting it is to spill the beans about what you heard at the beauty shop or what gossip was shared as a "prayer request" by the little old lady at church. There's hurt all around us. Maybe someone said something to you that burned you to the core. Maybe you're the victim of someone else's gossip and it came back to you or it could be that an event happened that you just can't seem to shake. I beg you, give it to God. Let Him handle it. As a Christian, go to His word and see what it says about how you should proceed and go from there. If you have an issue with someone, try to work it out. Don't spread the negativity and try to make yourself feel better by putting someone down! If you can't work it out on your own with that person, seek Godly counsel and meet with the person and your pastor/counsel.
None of us are perfect, we're just sinners saved by His grace. We all slip, we all have times of weakness, but remember this... "His strength is perfect when our strength is gone. He'll carry us when we can't carry on. Raised in His power, the weak become strong.". If you need help getting thru a sticky situation, lean on Him! Don't let something hold you back from the awesome relationship that God wants to have with you. If there is bitterness or a judgmental spirit in your heart, you can't be where you need to be in your walk with the Saviour.
Now I'll hop down off of my soapbox and get some laundry done :)